Don’t contract out your loyal cleaners SkyCity3

Posted by Darien Fenton on July 18, 2014

SkyCity should put aside its proposal to contract out its cleaning staff and not be lured by the prospect of washing their hands of these essential jobs and leaving them to the world of third party contracting, Labour’s Associate Labour spokesperson Darien Fenton says.

“One of the features of SkyCity employment practices over the years is that they have improved relationships with unions, collectively bargained and kept key staff employed in house and working as part of their team.

“SkyCity has always employed cleaners directly, and those workers have repaid that job security back in spades; with loyalty and service that goes back nearly 10 years.

“Contracting out these jobs sends a clear message that SkyCity now sees workers such as cleaners as peripheral to its business.

“Tell that to a cleaner who has to clean up the toilets, or a high roller who expects high standards throughout the casino.

“This proposal gives rise to questions about the Government-backed SkyCity Convention Centre and whether the jobs they claim will be created will be decent, full time and secure. Or will the lowest paid workers in the casino be further marginalised?

“The Government has already tried to weaken the protection of vulnerable workers like cleaners by watering down Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act that guarantees cleaners like those at SkyCity on-going employment.

“That’s on hold for now because the Government doesn’t have the numbers to pass it.

“Labour has a different vision for New Zealand workers – one which includes decent, well paid and secure work. SkyCity’s proposal does not fit within this,” Darien Fenton says.